Image courtesy of JMU Athletics Communications
By Bennett Conlin
Keeping track of the transfer portal and high school recruiting can be a massive challenge. It’s even harder given the lack of consistent national recruiting coverage for Group of Five teams.
To make life a little easier for JMU football die-hard fans, we’ll aim to track JMU’s 2024 high school recruiting class in this one document.
National Signing Day got off to a fast start on December 20. The Dukes signed eight players before 10 AM ET and secured all three offensive commitments they had racked up.
State by State breakdown
Pennsylvania: 2
North Carolina: 4
Virginia: 2
Offensive additions
Deacon Rawls, OL – West Virginia, Temple, Charlotte, and Army all offered Rawls, a Virginia Beach product. Listed at 6’5″ and 315 lbs, Rawls has great size and talent. He’s a nice addition for the Dukes.
Evan Bushong, OL – JMU recruits Pennsylvania well, and Bushong plays in the Harrisburg area. He was offered by Army, as well as several Ivy League schools. He’s listed at 6’3″ and 295 lbs.
Kobe Campbell, OL – The Dukes have done well to add unheralded recruits before they blow up, and Campbell might fit that mold. He had offers from a few FCS schools in addition to JMU, but he recently competed in camps at Florida and Duke, earning top OL performer during his trip to Duke. Campbell, who is from North Carolina, is a nice get for JMU.
Defensive additions
Anthony Walker, LB – JMU added Walker, a North Carolina prospect. Like Banks, he has a ton of potential. He’s a bit taller at 6-feet tall, and he also had a nice list of offers that included App State and Charlotte. Walker was also courted by several of JMU’s former CAA peers, including Richmond and Delaware.
Immanuel Ezeogu, LB – At 6’3″, Ezeogu could develop into an edge rusher if needed. The prospect from Virginia was fixated on attending JMU throughout the recruiting process, according to the DNR.
Chase Regan, S – The run on defensive backs continued with Regan’s commitment. The safety from Pennsylvania received a bunch of FCS offers, and Old Dominion was among the FBS teams to offer Regan. He picked JMU out of his 20ish D1 offers.
WATCH | Chase Regan talked with Ben Hofer during his recruitment process
Phillip Harris, DB – Another North Carolina prospect joins the Dukes, as Harris picked JMU over ECU, West Virginia, Marshall, Coastal Carolina, and others. He’s an impressive addition to JMU’s class.
Marcellus Nash, EDGE – Nash held offers from App State, Arizona, Coastal Carolina, Marshall, Penn State, and others. The in-state defender ultimately picked JMU, giving the Dukes yet another strong addition along the defensive line. Nash is one of the highest-rated recruits in JMU’s 2024 class.
Milton Ferguson, DB – The three-star defensive back from Virginia Beach also received offers from Maryland, Miami, Virginia, and Virginia Tech. He’s a talented player who drew interest from solid Power Five schools.
Keelan “KJ” Flowe, DB – A three-star defensive back, Flowe decommitted from West Virginia to join the Dukes. The Dukes’ 2024 class is remarkably talented in the secondary.
Decommitments
With Cignetti leaving to Indiana, JMU may lose some members of the 2024 class.
Mario Landino, DL, Indiana – Landino, a talented defensive lineman, is following Cignetti to Indiana.
Alberto Mendoza, QB, Indiana – Mendoza officially flipped from JMU to Indiana following Cignetti’s departure. The prospect from Miami is viewed as a 3-star recruit by 24/7 Sports.
Daniel Ndukwe, EDGE, Indiana – Ndukwe posted on social media that he’s headed to Indiana.
Dontrae Henderson, S, Indiana – Charlotte, Coastal Carolina, East Carolina, and Marshall all offered Henderson, who is from North Carolina. Henderson ultimately decided to play for Cignetti at Indiana.
Jah Jah Boyd, CB, Indiana– This was a big commitment at the time. Boyd was the highest-rated high schooler to ever commit to JMU. A Pennsylvania prospect, Boyd held offers from Penn State, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, and Boston College. He’s following Cignetti to Indiana.
Keenan Phillips, RB – Phillips announced his commitment over Instagram, picking JMU over App State, Boston College, NC State, Troy, and Tulane, among other offers. The talented running back from Georgia is extremely shift, often eluding defenders in tight spaces. He’s capable of returning kicks in addition to playing running back.
Nate Crosby Jr., RB – Marshall and Charlotte were among the schools to recruit the North Carolina product. He’s a versatile player who can run and catch.
Deity Deablo, EDGE – What a name! Deablo, who is from North Carolina, also received offers from App State, Boston College, and ODU. At 6’5″ and 230 lbs, it’s easy to get excited about Deablo’s potential as an outside rusher.
Ronnell Davis, S – JMU originally beat out West Virginia in a recruiting battle for the defensive back from Delaware, but he’s since decommitted.
Bryson Banks, LB – Banks is undersized at about 5’9″, but he has tremendous potential. UCF, UConn, Navy, and Army were among the schools to offer Banks. If he was a few inches taller, he’d likely be a target of numerous Power Five teams. He plays his high school football in Georgia.